Engine frame



Aug. 20, 1946.

E. S. HALL ENGINE FRAME Filed April 14. 1945' 3--Sheets-Sheet 1 E. s. HALL ENGINE FRAME Aug. 20, 1946.

Filed April 14, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VJUUHVUUUUVULJUUUUMUUUUUUH- FM SM Aug. 20, 1946. 5 HALL ENGINE FRAME Filed Apri} 14, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 EMSW Patented Aug. 20, 1946 ENGINE FRAME Edwin S. Hall, Farmington, Conn, assignor to Rogers Diesel and Aircraft Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 14, 1945, Serial No. 588,323

20 Claims. 1

This invention relates to engine frames in general and more specifically to cylinder block constructions for opposed-piston internal combustion engines. The invention may be applicable to all such engines but it will be described as applied to an engine of the clas commonly called barrel type, axial, or round engines, the class having cylinders parallel to the' shaft.

Either the cylindrical cam and roller mechanism, or one of the several swashplate mechanisms may be used in such an engine. The cylinder block may include a group of cylinders spaced about and parallel to the engine shaft, be-

tween a pair of cams or a pair of plate mechanism on the same shaft. Cross-head guides coaxial with the several cylinders may be pro-v vided for the reciprocating members of the two mechanisms.

The object of the invention is to provide an,

engine frame construction or cylinder block of low cost in production, consisting essentially of stampings and tubes press-fitted together and furnace brazed into a single unit. Another object of the invention i to provide a strong and lightweight frame structure for an opposed-piston barrel engine. Another object is to provide 2. cylinder block construction for an opposed-piston barrel engine in which the manifold wall are included in the block itself.

Another object is to provide a frame structurev in which a series of identical stampings may be used to form hollow bulkheads toserve as Water manifolds. Another object is to provide a frame structure for an opposed-piston barrel engine in which the water flow thru the cylinder jackets may be properly directed by the construction of the block itself. Another object is to provide a cylinder block construction in which the fuel nozzle or precombustion chamber may be removed without draining the cooling water. Other objects are to provide for separate flow of the coolant thru the nozzle holder or precom-bustion chamber cover, and to provide convenient means for closing ofi this separate flow of the coolant when it is desired to remove the nozzle holder or precombustion chamber.

.A further object i to provide a cylinder block construction for an opposed-piston barrel engine in which the exhaust from each cylinder may be directed tangentially into a circumferential manifold so that each exhaust may aid in scavenging the other cylinders. Fairing in such a manifold may be corroded by the sulphurous exhaust content. Another object is to provide easily replaceable cast fairing for directing the exhaust from each cylinder into the exhaust manifold.

Another object is to provide a construction for an opposed-piston barrel engine in which the cylinder block is short, independent of the crosshead guide sections which may be removed leaving the reciprocating members and the conversion mechanisms substantially intact in position for inspection and adjustment. Another object is to provide a short cylinder block of such low cost that it may be considered the replaceable member, obviating the need for individual replaceable cylinder liners.

These and other objects will be more apparent from the following description in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section thru the improved engine frame, showing the cylinder block and one of the two crosshead guide portions;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of one of the stampings used in the construction of the frame of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the adjacent portion of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Referring to the drawings, each cylinder liner I0 may be cast or otherwise formed with intake ports II and exhaust ports l2, and with longitudinal cooling fins IS in its central combustion region. Water passages i9 may be drilled or cored thru each of the bridges between ports H and ports l2. The outer periphery of the port rings r and fins [3 may be turned down to a given diameter to fit inside sleeves l4 and IS, the inside bore of these sleeves being the same as that of crosshead guides 45. End rings I6 fitting the ends of cylinder liner I8 and fitting inside sleeves l5 serve to close the ends of water jacket l8 surrounding each liner l t.

The parts Iii-l9 inclusive thu form an individual cylinder liner of known structure, ordinarily assembled in a block in a removable manner so that any one liner becoming damaged may be easily replaced. It would be possible to form the frame of the present invention to permit easy removal of these liners, but I prefer to add a Water-jacket for a nozzle holder or precombustion chamber extending radially from each liner, and then assemble the set of liners in a erie of bulkheads formed of stampings, brazing the assembly to form a short cylinder block of low enough cost to permit considering the Whole block replaceable.

Tubular jacket 24 is fitted into a radial bore in V sleeve l4, and inner jacket 20 is fittted into a smaller radial bore in liner its upper lip fitting the interior of tubular jacket 24. Two holes 23 may be provided in jacket as. and the adjacent sides of jacket 24 may be flattened. When the several cylinder assemblies have been put to ether with copper or other suitable. brazing material near each joint, flat stamping 33 in pairs, each stamping 38 having upturned edges 36 forming a. hollow bulkhead 33, may be similarly assembled with inter-cylinder water pipes 39 in place. Be

tween the two inner bulkheads 33, adjacent each of the radial jackets 2d, a transfer .pipe 22may be inserted. The coolant chambers comprising jackets l8, passages l9, bulkheads 33, and pipes 39 may include also the annular space28 be tween tubes 21 and 29 which house the .central shaft (not shown). Space 28 may be closed at the ends by rings 26 which-may help in supporting inner main bearings for the shaft. Half-holes 32 formed in theup-turned edges 36 of stampings 30 permit the coolant to flow to and from pipes 39,

bulkhead-s 33, annular chamber 28, and jackets l8. Forcirculation and drainage of coolant thru' space between jackets 24 and 2il,"holes.

the annular I 23 are provided. Reinforcing plates 3'! may be added at each end of the block assembly, and rings 3! may surround each bulkhead and provide grooves for suitable packing to seal the surround ing closure (not shown). The 'entire cylinder block assembly may 'be' furnace brazed', heattreated and finished as a unit. I

' Thereafter precombustion chamber 50 may be inserted in its jacket 20 for each cylinder, and its cover may be fastened with suitable gasket packing by suitable screws as indicated in'Fig's. 1 and 5. Plug cock'52 fits a bore in transfer pipe 22, and may beclamped to cover 5| When in the position shown, plug cook 52 directs by screw 53;

V 4 4, these parts being held in by the outer closure (not shown) to be wrapped around the entire structure. It is obvious from Fig. 4 that the burst of exhaust from each cylinder as thru the nozzle 65 will aid in the rapid circumferential flow of the exhaust in the passage 63, this flow aiding in the promotion of the scavenge of each cylinder. It is understood that a tangential takeoff or exhaust pipe will be provided at a convenient point around the circumferential pas sage 66. 7

Having thus described the invention it is clear that the objects thereof as stated have been at- ,tained., While a specific embodiment has been shown and described, it is'understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the arrangement of the invention without departing from the. spirit or scope of the invention as exthe flow from one bulkhead 33 into cover 5! and I (not shown) and out again around the nozzle 22 to the other bulkhead 33.

thru transfer pipe When it is desired to remove cover 5| or pre-v combustion chamber 50, screw 53 may be loosened, and plug cook 52 transfer pipe 22. Then the screws may beremoved and cover 5!, taken off losing only the small amount of coolant contained in'cover'5l,

without the necessity tem. 7 v 7 After assembly of the reciprocating parts, and the conversion mechanism (not shown), at each end of the cylinder block, a orosshead'guide section is added. One such section only is shown in Fig. 1, it being-understood that another will be used at the left end of the cylinder block. Each crosshead guide section includes the several crosshead guides coaxial with cylinder liners I0 and held together by another bulkhead 33 comprising a pair of stampings 30 with their outer ring 3|. Reinforcing plate 41 may mate with plate 31 of the cylinder block, and end plate 48 may-aid in supporting the ring lli in which an outer main bearing might be mounted.

Th air manifold to direct the scavenge air to intake ports ll of the several cylinders is formed for draining the whole sys-' by the two bulkheads 33 at the left of the cyl-- inder block in Fig. l, and the exhaust manifold is formed by the two bulkheads 33 at the right. In

the'latter, a series of half-rings of U-section,-

fairing sectors 6!, also castings, may be inserted radially into the manifold as shown in Figs. -1- and turned to close both ends of exhaust manifold, the assembly of bulkheads and" pressed in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an opposed-piston engine, a cylinder block comprising a series of hollow bulkheads spaced apart and each formed from'a pair of substantially identical stampings placed face to face, a set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, the assembly of bulkheads and cylinder members brazed into an integral cylinder block.

2. In an opposed-piston engine, a cylinder block comprising a'series of hollow bulkheads spaced apart and each formed from a pair of substantially identical stampings placed face to face, a set of holes thru each of said bulkheads,

and a series of cylinder members each having its own water jacket and extending thru said holes,

and connecting said bulkheads, said bulkheads formed as water manifolds to direct coolant into and out of said water jackets, the assembly of bulkheads and cylinder members brazed into an integral cylinder block.

3. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising a series of hollow bulk-I apart to form an exhaust manifold between them,

each bulkhead formed from a pair of substantially identical circular stampings placed face to face, a set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said cylinder members brazed into an integral cylinder block;

5. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising two pairs of hollow bulkheads, one pair of spaced apart to form an air manifold between them and the other pair spaced apart to form an exhaust manifold between them, each bulkhead formed from a pair of substantially identical circular stampings placed face to face, a set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, I

and a series of cylinder members each having its own water jacket and extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold, each hollow bulkhead forming a water manifold to direct coolant into and out of said water jackets, the assembly of bulkheads and cylinder members brazed into an integral cylinder block.

6. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising two pairs of hollow bulkheads, one pair spaced apart to form an air manifold between them and the other pair spaced apart to form an exhaust manifold between them, a similar set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket opening into said hollow bulkheads.

7. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising two. pairs of hollow bulkheads, one pair spaced apart to form an air manifold between them and the other pair spaced apart to form an exhaust manifold between them, a similar set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket opening into said hollow bulkheads, the assembly of bulkheads and cylinder members brazed into an integral cylinder block; in combination with removable fairing in said exhaust manifold for directing the flow of exhaust from each of said cylinders independently into said manifold;

8. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising two pairs of hollow bulkheads, one pair spaced apart to form an air manifold between them and the other pair spaced apart to form an exhaust manifold between them, a similar set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket opening into said hollow bulkheads, the assembly of bulk-heads and cylinder members brazed into an integral cylinder block; in combination with removable fairing in said exhaust manifold for directing the flow of exhaust from each of said cylinders independently into said manifold, said fairing formed to provide a circumferential manifold passage with the exhaust from each cylinder entering it tangentially from within as thru a jet to promote continuously rapid flow of exhaust in said manifold passage.

9. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising four hollow bulkheads, a similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, and cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, the first two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an air manifold, the last two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an exhaust manifold, each of said hollow bulkheads forming a water manifold, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads.

10. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising four hollow bulkheads, a similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, and cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, the first two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an air manifold, the last two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an exhaust manifold, each of said hollow bulkheads forming a water manifold, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads, the two inner bulkheads spaced apart, and a nozzle holder extending radially from each of said cylinders into the space between said inner bulkheads.

11. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising four hollow bulkheads, a similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, and cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, the first two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an air manifold, the last two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an exhaust manifold, each of said hollow bulkheads forming a water manifold, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads, the two inner bulkheads spaced apart, and a precombustion chamber extending radially from each of said cylinders into the space between said inner bulkheads, a water jacket for said chamber, and ports connecting said chamber jacket with said inner hollow bulkheads.

12. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising four hollow bulkheads, a similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, andcylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, the first two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an air manifold, the last two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an exhaust manifold, each of said hollow bulkheads forming a water manifold, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads, the two inner bulkheads spaced apart, and a precombustion chamber extending radially from each of said cylinders into the space between said inner bulkheads, a water jacket for said chamber, ports connecting said chamber jacket with said inner hollow bulkheads, a separable cover for said chamber, a water jacket in said cover, a bypass for coolant between said inner bulkheads adjacent said cover, and means for directing coolant from said bypass into and thru said cover jacket. I

13. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cylinder block comprising four hollow bulkheads, a similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, and cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, the first two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an air manifold, the last two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an exhaust manifold, each of said hollow bulkheads forming a water manifold, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads, the two inner bulkheads spaced apart, and a precombustion chamber extending radially from each of said cylinders into the space between said inner bulkheads, a water jacket for said chamber, ports connecting said chamber jacket with said inner hollow bulkheads, a separable cover for said chambena water jacket in said bypass to permit removal and replacement of said coverand said precombustion chamber without draining the coolant from said cylinder block.

14. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a Y1!- inder block comprising a series of hollow bulkheads spaced apart, a similar set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of parallel tubular members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads; said tubular members including an axial housing, cylinder members spaced about said housing, and water pipes alternating with said cylinder members; each of said cylinder members having a water jacket, and ports in said jackets and in said water pipes, said ports opening into saidhollow bulkheads.

A 1 5. A frame construction for an opposed-piston barrel engine comprising a pair of similar frame portions and a cylinder block between them and coaxial therewith, said frame portions and cylinder block each comprising a plurality of bulkheads spaced apart; a similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, and a series of parallel tubular members extending thru said holes and connecting said'bulkheads, said tubular members in said frame portions coaxial with those of said cylinder block.

16. A frame construction for an opposed-piston barrel engine comprising a pair of similar frame portions and a cylinder block'between them and coaxial therewith; said cylinder block comprising a series of bulkheads spaced apart, a similar set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of parallel cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads; each of said frame portions including similar bulkheads with similar holes therein and a series of cylindrical crosshead guides extendingthru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, said crosshead guides coaxial with said cylinder members.

1'7. A frame construction for an opposed-piston barrel engine comprising a pair of similar frame portions and a cylinder block between them and coaxial therewith; said cylinder block comprising a series of hollow bulkheads, two of said bulkheads spaced apart to form an air manifold and two of said bulkheads spacedapart to form an exhaust manifold, a similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, and cylinder members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, each of said cylinder members having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into said exhaust manifold and a water jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads; each of said frame similar bulkheads with similar holes therein and portions including connecting therewith.

a series of cylindrical crosshead guides extending allel tubular members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, said tubular members including an axial housing and cylinder members spaced about said housing and water pipes alternating with said cylinder members; each of said frame portions including similar bulkheads with similar holes therein and tubular members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, said last-named tubular members including cylindrical crosshead guides coaxial with said cylinder members and water'pipes coaxial with the water pipes of said cylinder block and 19. A frame construction for anopposed-piston barrel engine comprising a pair of similar frame portions and a cylinder block between them and coaxial therewith; said cylinder block comprising a series of hollow bulkheads, a similar set of holes thru each of said bulkheads, and a series of parallel tubular members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads;-- said tubular members including an axial doublewalled housing having an annular water chamber, cylinder members spaced about said housing an'deach having a water jacket, and water pipes alternating with said cylinder members; each of said frame portions including bulkheads with holes therein and tubular members extending thru said' holes and connecting said bulkheads; said last-named tubular members including cylindrical crosshead guides coaxial with said cylinder members, and water pipes coaxial with the water pipes of said cylinder block; and ports in said water pipes and said cylinder water jackets and said annular water chamber, said parts opening into said hollow bulkheads.

20. In an opposed-piston barrel engine, a cyl= inder block comprising four hollow bulkheads, a

similar set of holes thru each bulkhead, and tubular members extending thru said holes and connecting said bulkheads, the first two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an air manifold, the

last two bulkheads spaced apart and forming an exhaust manifold, each of said hollow bulkheads forming a water manifold; and said tubular members including a central housing coaxial with said block and having an annular jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads, cylinder members each having air ports opening into said air manifold and exhaust ports opening into I said exhaust manifold and a water jacket with ports opening into said hollow bulkheads, and water pipes having ports opening into some of said hollow bulkheads.

EDWIN S. HALL. 

